The Shack

While there is much controversy surrounding the recently popular book. I have decided to research this for myself. Most people I have talked to loooooooooove this book very few have had anything negative to say. In my search for truth behind this book, whether or not it would be healthy for me to read, I came across a blog by Tim Challies who has done his homework. He read the book and compared it to biblical truths. Something i think is necessary when exposing ourselves to a book of this nature. Although the book is classified as fiction there are many who have claimed their life and relationship with God is now different and made for the better. This concerns me. If the book is not speaking biblical based truth and it is changing Christians. I want to know why?? And could we possibly end up with a twisted view of the truth?


I have not read this book all the way through. And I don't plan to, therefore you will have to discern for yourselves whether or not you should read it and if you do decide to read it. You will have to discern truth from good story telling.





Second, we must also realize that, because of the emotional impact of reading good fiction, it can be easy to allow it to become manipulative and to allow the emotion of a moment to bypass our ability to discern what is true and what is not. This is another thing the reader must keep in mind. We cannot trust our laughter or our tears but must allow our powers of discernment to be trained to distinguish good from evil (see Hebrews 5:14). Discernment is primarily a Spirit-empowered discipline of the mind rather than an emotional response. -Tim Challies


Do I think that everyone who reads this book will end up with a new founded unbiblical view of God? No. Do I think that it was the authors intent to do anything but good? No. Do I think that an unguarded heart looking for answers outside of God's word can be harmful? Yes. And therefore i implore you to choose carefully the books you read, the people you listen to and the movies you watch and research them in depth. I do believe that some good can be found in this book but why find it in this book where so many other things can flood in with the good??

Before I end this post, I want to say that I do not pass any judgement against the author or those who choose to read it and love it. This is just my stand on the book and an encouragement to look a little deeper into what we allow into our minds.


*also a small note to the side. I did not completely agree full heartedly with all of what Tim Challies said in his review. Mainly the part on forgiveness I did not agree with.